Tweedle
Dum and Tweedle Dee.....
Eddie was Irish, aged about 50 and a bit of a
rogue - as was his wife. His two boys took after their father and were always
up to some mischief or other. It was about 1970 and I was their local Community Police Officer
in the East End of
London. A high percentage of the minor crime on 'my patch' was down to the
family, mostly the sons......
I had arrested Eddie for buying a gold cigarette lighter from a seven-year-old girl for one shilling (10 cents US). The magistrate commended me for the manner in which I dealt with the matter rather than admonish me. You see, I spoke to Eddie in the local vernacular and instead of using the correct legal terminology, I merely said to him ˜Get your boots on Eddie, you're nicked". He was found guilty and fined £5. There were no hard feelings between us...............
Whenever the two boys were causing me trouble, Eddie had given me permission to 'clip their ears' if they were doing anything wrong. I never did in fact, as the threat to do so was always good enough. Eventually I transferred to the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) and moved to another police station a few miles away.
About two years later, I heard a radio message reporting a fire in an empty property on my old area and as we were in a car and nearby, we decided to attend. The fire officers stated that it had been caused deliberately and although the damage was slight, it could have been disastrous. I went walkabout and spoke to some of the local children. Immediately, Eddie's two sons were put 'in the frame' as those responsible. They had returned to their school locally.
We went there and I arrested the two boys. In fact they readily admitted causing the fire but denied that it was in order to cause damage. They claimed it was an accident. I asked them if Eddie was at home and the older of the two boys said ˜I am sorry PC Paddy, but he caught pneumonia about six months ago and died". I told him that I was sorry to hear that and asked about his mother. He bowed his head and quietly said ˜After Dad died, she took some pills and also died". I was truly shocked and saddened at the news.......................
I asked them who I should call to attend the station and the older said ˜Our Uncle Peter". He gave me a local telephone number.
I was sitting in the Charge room doing some paperwork with the boys nearby when the door opened and Eddie walked in with the Desk Sergeant. I went up to the older boy and threatened to hit him for what he said about his father. I turned to Eddie and said ˜The little basket said you and Mary were dead Eddie, you better give him a good hiding when you get him home". Eddie put up his hands and shouted ˜No, don't. Eddie is dead; I'm Peter his brother". I went over to him and I swear I would have bet my month's wages that 'he' was Eddie.
I was in shock. You see he was also wearing Eddie's old clothes and it turned out that they were identical twins. Peter added that when the local Catholic Church had run a Charity Dance for the family and when he had attended, he had his ears boxed 'for playing such a dirty trick'. It was the first time in my life that I had ever come across adult identical twins.
I had a long chat with the two boys, marked up the arrest papers for a 'Caution', which was granted. This meant that they did not have to go to court. Many years later I heard that both had never been in trouble with the police after that day and both were doing well in life.
Since the events of that day I have come across three other sets of adult identical twins, one set in fact married another set but never had any children. There were two other women and no one could tell them apart.
They were like two peas in a pod.................
I had arrested Eddie for buying a gold cigarette lighter from a seven-year-old girl for one shilling (10 cents US). The magistrate commended me for the manner in which I dealt with the matter rather than admonish me. You see, I spoke to Eddie in the local vernacular and instead of using the correct legal terminology, I merely said to him ˜Get your boots on Eddie, you're nicked". He was found guilty and fined £5. There were no hard feelings between us...............
Whenever the two boys were causing me trouble, Eddie had given me permission to 'clip their ears' if they were doing anything wrong. I never did in fact, as the threat to do so was always good enough. Eventually I transferred to the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) and moved to another police station a few miles away.
About two years later, I heard a radio message reporting a fire in an empty property on my old area and as we were in a car and nearby, we decided to attend. The fire officers stated that it had been caused deliberately and although the damage was slight, it could have been disastrous. I went walkabout and spoke to some of the local children. Immediately, Eddie's two sons were put 'in the frame' as those responsible. They had returned to their school locally.
We went there and I arrested the two boys. In fact they readily admitted causing the fire but denied that it was in order to cause damage. They claimed it was an accident. I asked them if Eddie was at home and the older of the two boys said ˜I am sorry PC Paddy, but he caught pneumonia about six months ago and died". I told him that I was sorry to hear that and asked about his mother. He bowed his head and quietly said ˜After Dad died, she took some pills and also died". I was truly shocked and saddened at the news.......................
I asked them who I should call to attend the station and the older said ˜Our Uncle Peter". He gave me a local telephone number.
I was sitting in the Charge room doing some paperwork with the boys nearby when the door opened and Eddie walked in with the Desk Sergeant. I went up to the older boy and threatened to hit him for what he said about his father. I turned to Eddie and said ˜The little basket said you and Mary were dead Eddie, you better give him a good hiding when you get him home". Eddie put up his hands and shouted ˜No, don't. Eddie is dead; I'm Peter his brother". I went over to him and I swear I would have bet my month's wages that 'he' was Eddie.
I was in shock. You see he was also wearing Eddie's old clothes and it turned out that they were identical twins. Peter added that when the local Catholic Church had run a Charity Dance for the family and when he had attended, he had his ears boxed 'for playing such a dirty trick'. It was the first time in my life that I had ever come across adult identical twins.
I had a long chat with the two boys, marked up the arrest papers for a 'Caution', which was granted. This meant that they did not have to go to court. Many years later I heard that both had never been in trouble with the police after that day and both were doing well in life.
Since the events of that day I have come across three other sets of adult identical twins, one set in fact married another set but never had any children. There were two other women and no one could tell them apart.
They were like two peas in a pod.................
------Mike-----
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